Stop It Right Now. Jayne Min’s Not Asking, She’s Telling

Adoring fashion can sometimes feel like a full-time job—or two full-time jobs, at least for apparel designer and blogger Jayne Min. Which is why it’s even more impressive that the fashionable lady behind the must-read Stop It Right Now still makes time for a hobby: skateboarding. (You may remember the killer Céline-printed decks Min created back in 2011, which had not a few fashion girls contemplating a turn on a board).

We put Min in the hot seat—read on to find out more about her skate background, her beloved leather cholo shorts, and why Céline and Bart Simpson hold equal place in her heart.

When and why did you decide to start your blog?

I started it in 2009 when I was between jobs. I had a lot of time on my hands and a lot of nonsense to address! I didn’t really know anything about blogs at the time (I’m part of the last analog generation) so it had really haphazard beginnings. It wasn’t until maybe six months into it that I really started putting a conscious effort into making it more me and different from everyone else’s.

How would you describe your own personal style?

I just wrote a post on this actually! I guess it’s the teenage street urchin that grew into a more design-oriented fashion conscious woman? It’s still a 50/50 mix of all the amazing designer fashion I appreciate as a mature working woman and all the goofy stuff I appreciate because of where I came from.

What’s your most treasured article of clothing?

Lately my Céline Fall 12 colorblock coat gives me heart palpitations whenever I look at it. I tend to go for really unique or rare pieces, so any one of those items in my house makes me fist pound myself a little. I have a vintage Bart Simpson sweatshirt that I’ve never seen anywhere. It gives me butterflies equally as much as any designer piece.

What are your spring wardrobe essentials?

I’m not really one for seasonal color palettes—I’m pretty much black or neutral year round—but textures really lend themselves to seasonal dress. For spring and summer I basically live in linen t-shirts. Leather cholo shorts are also widely known as Jayne staples.

What are you doing when you’re not blogging?

When I’m not blogging I’m working at my real life job as an apparel designer. So between those two any leftover time I’m just trying to live. CAN I LIVE?!?!

How did you get involved in the skate community?

I grew up in basically the middle of nowhere, so my brother and I had to be pretty creative with keeping ourselves entertained. We grew up outdoors, running around the neighborhood and he started skating. Since I was always his mini-me I grew a natural interest in it too. From then on it was just always being around skater friends and the local skate community and watching videos and putting clippings in my school binder. My dad was supportive enough to drive us to famous skate shops in different cities too. Until high school, when he refused to buy me pants because he thought I’d become too much of a tomboy!

What is it about skate culture that inspires you?

There’s just a carefree attitude about skating. The inherent rebellious nature? It’s really different now than it was when I was growing up. I think us thirty-somethings witnessed the best time, when it was just a really unifying sport for all the belong-nowheres. You could listen to whatever music, wear whatever clothes, and just love rolling around. Watching regular neighborhood kids pull crazy tricks and become hometown heroes was pretty special.

What’s the best fashion advice you’ve ever received?

To not take it seriously. Fashion is basically art. And art is accepted to be subjective. Ergo, fashion is subjective. There’s no right way or wrong way, just your own individual way, whatever that is. I’m a big mood dresser, so for me it’s just the melody to which I set my day. Nothing more, nothing less.

If you were accidentally locked in Barneys overnight, what would we find you wearing in the morning?

If I were accidentally locked in Barneys, I’d be creating all sorts of crazy window scapes like in Mannequin and trying all the different face creams (ahem, Révive). After a long night of trying on all the shoes, I would be sleeping in this Balenciaga ruffle skirt with Prada platforms and an Acne moto jacket because I’m always cold. And since my elf ears have a mind of their own, a Repossi earring might draw them more positive attention. All my various OCD must-haves like hand sanitizers, wet-naps, and snacks would be packed neatly into a Saint Laurent bag. And I’d be resting my feet up on a Bleu Nature stool.